


Make Up Like Friends

by pencilguin



Series: Fictober 2018 [5]
Category: Tales of the High Court Series - Megan Derr
Genre: Gen, bratty teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 03:11:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17215907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pencilguin/pseuds/pencilguin
Summary: After getting into yet another fight, the young prince Sarrica and his friend Lesto have to answer to the High King for their behavior.





	Make Up Like Friends

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on Tumblr as part of the Fictober 2018 challenge. Unbeta'd; I apologize for any mistakes that might still be in there.

At the sight of the two youths standing in front of him, both obstinately staring down at the floor, the High King sighed. 

“Explain yourselves.” 

Sarrica remained stubbornly silent. He knew he had been in the right, but he also knew the king wouldn’t approve of him using his fists right away instead of words to deal with the situation, and with his black eye and bleeding lip and the various bruises all over his body that he was still feeling he really wasn’t in the mood for that particular dressing-down. 

Lesto glanced at him, probably to see if he was going to say anything first, before he opened his mouth. 

“The Imperial Prince punched me, Your Majesty.” 

“Because you deserved it!” Sarrica couldn’t stop himself from snapping at him. “You attacked my friend!” 

“Your friend is a bully, just like you!” 

“Take that back,” he yelled, glaring at Lesto, “or you’re going to catch another fist from me, you coward!” 

At that, Lesto lunged at him to hit him again, and two of the guards had to pull them apart, still kicking and screaming at each other. 

The High King rose from his seat, his face all hard lines and looking even stricter and more intimidating than before. 

“I heard enough, this ends now. You will both find yourselves in detention for this.” 

“But—” Sarrica began, furious, but the king raised a hand and he fell silent. Still, the angry fire kept burning in his eyes nevertheless. 

“Yes, that includes you, Sarrica. How many more times do I have to tell you not to act rashly, and to use your words instead of your fists to solve a conflict?” 

Sarrica bit his lip, wise enough for once to not try and argue again. Then the king turned to Lesto. 

“And now to you, young Lord Lesto. I must say I am disappointed in both of you. I know the temper of the Arseni bloodline is legendary, but your family has been held in high regard here in Harken for a long time and I expected more diplomatic skill from you than this. Do you have anything to say in your defense?” 

Lesto hesitated for a moment, gathering his courage, it seemed, before he looked the High King in the eyes and spoke, with a calm but confident voice. 

“We were playing in the yard—the two of us, my youngest brother, and some of the other boys. This guy kept picking on and bullying my brother and wouldn’t stop even when Rene told him to. Then I saw how he hit him. I confronted him, told him to apologize. He decided to insult us and our family instead. So I punched him in the face because that seemed to be the only language he understands.” 

Sarrica stared at him. He hadn’t seen any of that. If what Lesto had said was true, then his reaction was perfectly understandable, and he would need to have a word with a few of those so-called “friends” of his who bullied others for no good reason or idly stood by and watched it happen. 

“Then the next thing I knew, the prince stormed at me and tried to punch my teeth in, so I defended myself, and we fought, and I think we broke a few things, and I apologize for that, Your Majesty.” 

Sarrica cringed at the reminder of his own actions, gaze dropping to the floor and heat crawling up to his cheeks in shame. 

“If that is true,” the High King said pensively, “it excuses some of your actions, of course. Though I still disapprove of your temper and violent tendencies.” He sat down again, then sighed. “I want the two of you to apologize to each other. Now.” He looked at Sarrica expectantly. 

Sarrica took a deep breath before he turned around and faced Lesto. 

“I’m sorry, Lesto. I shouldn’t have made assumptions and just attacked you like that. Please also pass my apology on to Rene. I do not tolerate bullying and will have a few words with those idiots about it.” 

The hint of a smile crept into the corner of Lesto’s mouth. “I accept your apology, Prince Sarrica. And I also apologize for hitting you, and for letting the situation escalate like this.” 

“Apology accepted,” Sarrica said, grinning tentatively. 

“Splendid,” the king exclaimed at that. “You’re still going to be in detention, of course.” 

“What?” they both yelled in unison and spun around. 

“But why? We apologized!” 

“Yes, you apologized, because you need to learn how to behave and how to make up after a fight like adults do—like _friends_ do. And you’ll keep finding yourselves in detention until you’ve learned how to not get into a situation like this in the first place. Did I make myself clear?” 

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Lesto responded with a bow. 

“Yes, father,” Sarrica said. 

“Good. Then you’re both dismissed.” 


End file.
